Visible-loose-leaf device



June 17, 1930. c. A. FINLEY VISIBLE LOOSE LEAF DEVICE Filed July 1l, 1928` nnnnunnnnn CHARLES Afl Patented June 17, 1930 UNTED'STATE-s PATENTy l'orrlci:`

cHAnLEs A.- FINnnY, or* ianrrrnnronn, NEW JERSEY, AssIeNon To BODRUM c BAsn Coivnerarnr,l or BROOKLYN Nnw YORK, .a ooRPoRA'rron or 'NEW Yom;

`vrs:11ans-Loosu-:maier DEVICE Application med July 11, 192s. serial N. 291,991.

This invention relates to a follower for use in a Visible card'index panel or drawer wherein sheets or cards are slidably mounted, the purpose of the follower being to abut against the endvof the series of cards or sheets to assemble them and leep them spaced from one end of the panel or drawer', and to hold them in the desired overlapped relation to each other.

The followerof this invention is adapted for use with any'kind of card 'orshefet ,in such a panel or drawer and is particularly useful with cards or card holders having a main portion hinged to a supporting portion.

Followers which have been used'heretofore have either been clumsy and complicated, or else they have had a tendency to ride under or over the card against which they were intended to abut. In hinged cards havingqa 2o main portion and a supporting portionthe follower is ordinarily intended to abut against the supporting portion at the hinge;

but as it rides'ufnder the main portion, fit is automatically guided under the supporting 25 portion as well, unless prevented.

The object ofthis invention is to Lprovide a follower of simple construction which will eiiici'ently engage'the card, and will befprevented from riding over or under the portion :zo of the 'card against which it is intended to abut. r

Other objects will appear from the following specification and claims,

In the drawings: f f I Figure 1 is a plan view of part ofa panel showing a part of my follower, and the supporting portions, but no main portion, of several hinged cards; y

Figure 2 is a similar .plan View but showing 40 thel hinged cards with main portions-parta-11.5' broken away f Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section through one side ,of the panel taken'on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Y

Figure 74 is a vertical cross-section on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5' is a vertical cross-section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2. Y

Figure' 6 shows a spring-pressed .form 0f follower ;y While F igure 7 is a longitudinal section taken on a line corresponding to 7&7 of Fig. 6, showing the follower of Figure' inserted ina panel.

In the drawings follower 20 is shown abutting hinged cards 10 in the panel 11. The panel isprovided with opposed inwardly facing flanges 12 which overlie the ends 14 of the supporting portions 13 of the cards.

The main portion 10 of each card is yhinged at 15 to the supporting portion.

The top of the follower abuts against the card in the panel at the hinge line 15. Y

- By card I refer to any formof filing card or sheet or card holder. `Hereinafter when I use the term supporting' portion I referto that party which engages the flanges, while by main portion I refer to the portion attachedl or hinged to the supporting portion. The two portions may or may notbe integral. The main portion may be itself the information-bearing element, orit mayl bev any 'of the many forms of devices or parts by which an information-bearing element is carried. By ypanel I refer to a panel, drawer or equivalent iling means for assembling cards or cardholders'. f

The follower 20 may be made of cardboard, sheet metal or any suitable material.

It is composed of abody'portion 21 having transverse to and intersecting the edge which abuts against lthe cards', one or more novel crimps or' channels 22, and having lugs at each side edge to straddle the flanges 12 of the panel.

In the drawings it is the top edge 27 ofthe follower which abuts against the cards and the crimps intersecting that edge are formed by the two channels 22 recessed below the suiface,or rearward of the plane of the remainder of the body of the follower and eX- tending perpendi'cularl'y from top edge 27 to bottom edge 2'8. The length of the crimps is optional; they need not extend tothe 'opposite edge of theicard. The angle of the Vcrimps to thel abutting edge ofy the follower is also optional. In the accompanying drawings the ychannels are-shown located near the side edges of the fol-lower, ,adj acent the inner vends of lthe slits; 25 which Separatethe lugs 23 and '24 vlie the flange. v

the crimp, while the two outer lugs are in the plane of the remainder -of the body portion of the follower. v Y

If overlapping hinged cards such as those shown in the drawings are to be supported -in a panel, the follower will slide under the main portion 10 of the cards, as illustrated in Fig. 2, but will abut against the supporting portion 13 of the cards at :thehinge line 15.

By pushing up with the follower against the supporting portions of the cards the cards will Vbe compactly assembled together, and held spaced as desired between the top and bottom of the panel, and 'in the desired overlapping relation to each other.

Due to theconstruction of my follower, it will not ride overor under the edgeof the card, or of the supporting portion of the card, against which it is supposed to abut. The crimp or channel in the abutting edge of the follower prevents this by the fact that the lowest point of the crimp hugsk the floor 16 of the panel, while the remainder of the body of the follower isspaced by the crimp higher than the supporting portion of the card can rise when its ends are retained in the flanges vof the panel. lius the top of the follower will abut against the lower edge of the supporting portion of the card, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. f

In those figures the card is-shown flexed on the hinge, with the main' portion standing up approximately at rightangles to the supporting portion andto the panel. l

' My follower iseasily adjusted in a panel.

lGrasping it by the top edge 27 and bottom edge 28, the underlying lug 26 on one side edge mayy be inserted under the flange 1.2 on that side, then flexing the follower slightly, the underlying lug on the opposite side edge may be inserted under its flange, and the follower may be slid up the panel to' the desired loca- The follower will remain at any desired location between the top and bottom of the panel, and it will not become displaced unless pressure is applied to it, to intentionally slide it up or down upon the panel.

I sometimes find itconvenient torprovide a spring17 having fingers 18, which exert pressure upon the overlying side lugs 23 and 24.

This springassists in maintaining a gripV of the straddled lugs of the follower upon the l flange of the panel. r/It is particularly useful iter-2,141

in followers in which the distance between the inner ends of slits 25 is less than the distance between the free edges of the flanges 12. It also serves as a protection to the overlying lugs as it causes them to lie flatly against ,f

the flange and lessens the danger of their being damaged and accidentally torn off in theliandling of the panel.

If desired, holes 19 in the body of the fol- Y lower may be provided into which the finger followerup and down the panel.

VI claim:

1. In la lc oseleaf'fling. device a followerl tips may be inserted to facilitate sliding the Y leaf filing device, Va follower lower being spaced above the bottom` of Vthe crimp. j Y

4. In a loose leaf filing device, a follower `having adjacent eachside edge a channel intersecting the top edge and perpendicular thereto, and lhaving lugs on each side edge.

5. 'In aloose leaf filing device, a follower' having adjacent eachside edge a channel intersecting the top edge ,and perpendicular thereto, and forming a recess lying rearward of the plane of the vremainder of the body of the follower, :in combination with lugs'on each side edge.

6. In a loose leaf filing device, a follower having a top edge intersectedby a crimp, and having lugs on each side edgeadapted to overlie and underlie flanges of a panel, in

combination with a spring on said follower exerting downward pressure'upon' the overlying lugS.

7. In a loosefleaf filing device, a panelhav` ing opposed flanges and cards slidably mount* ed `thereon in combination with a follower having a crimp intersecting the Vabutting edge, and liaving'aplurality of lugs on 'each Side edge stradd'lingthe flanges.

8. In a loose leaf liling'device, a panel having opposed flanges and cards slidably mounted thereon in overlapping relation in combination with a follower adapted to'abut against a card and having a crimp 'intersect ing Vthe abutting edge, and having lugs on each side edge ystraddling the flanges, the

bottom of the crimp hugging thefloor of the` panel. c

9; In a loose leaf filing'device, a panelhavingY inwardly facing opposed flanges andl cards slidably mounted thereon in overlapping relation in Ycombinatior'i with a follower slidably mounted on thefpanel, the follower having adjacent each side edge achannel intersecting and perp'endicul'arvl to the edge of the follower which abuts a portion/of one of the cards and having on each side edge a lug underlying and a lugy overlying the oorresponding flange of the panel, the bottom of the channels hugging the floor of the panel and the remainder of the body of the follower being in a plane spaced above the floor of the panel and above the portion of the card againstk which the follower abuts.

10. In a loose leaf liling device, a panel having opposed flanges and `cards each com# prising a main portion hinged to a supporting portion the latter being slidably mounted on the panel, in combination with a follower slidably mounted on the panel, the edge of the follower abutting the supporting portion of the cards being intersected by a crimp.

l1. In a loose leaf filing device, a panel having opposed flanges and Cards each comprising a main portion hinged to a supporting portion the latter being slidably mounted on the panel, in combination with a follower slidably mounted on the panel, the edge of the follower abutting the supporting portion of the cards being intersected by a crimp, no portion of the follower'being lower than the bottom of said crimp.

In testimony whereof .I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES A. FINLEY. 

